Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartI was just thinking . . . and it hit me
Sometimes when we’re so engrossed in what we’re doing, we get a jolt of awareness. Sometimes it is something harmless yet somehow revealing; sometimes it’s a feeling of urgency, that something must be done now; then at others it’s one of those wonderful “Eureka” moments when you get a really good idea.
I was just walking down the street, feeling suddenly aware of something, and it hit me. “I’m being stared at.” You turn and, yes, you see a man staring at you. In my teens, I smiled the flirtatious smile. In my 20’s, I glanced, smiled to myself, and sauntered up to the bar with my friends. In my 30’s I laughed to myself—I’m too old for you, but thanks. In my 40’s I laughed to myself—you’re too old for me, but thanks. In my 50’s, “What are you smiling at?” is my thought. Is toilet paper on my foot? Is my blouse unbuttoned? These days, I figure they’re saying, “I think I know her. Didn’t she use to teach?”
I was just about to step into the elevator when I noticed a man approaching it. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I didn’t want him to think I was scared of him, so I got in. And it hit me… this is how women get attacked. Before those elevator doors closed, I walked right back out again. Oprah has done a public service by showing us that we need to listen to that inner voice that tells us something is wrong. Too many people have had a feeling that something bad was about to happen and disregarded it. I appreciate that feeling. When the hair on the back of your neck stands up, leave. Run. Heed this warning! You may think you look stupid, but at least you will be alive to explain your actions. I do believe in these feelings!
I was just sitting down to type a letter and it hit me. A book. The heroine has been led by her mother to believe her grandmother is dead. The mother dies and the heroine finds a box with letters to her mother, recent ones, begging her to visit her mother—the “long-dead” grandmother . . . Does she visit? You betcha. And you won’t believe what happens. WIP. (Work In Progress.)
I was just thinking . . .
Tags: feelings, I was just thinking, it hit me
About the author
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Maxine Davis | http://TBAsoon! I am a writer. PRO in Ga. Romance Writers and RWA, working toward publication. I am also a retired educator--teaching and administration. Native Georgian, thank goodness! Married; no children. I love traveling, especially with my husband or with my brother and sister to Maine (THAT was a fun trip.) I love reading, swimming, crocheting, life in general and friends.
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May 21st, 2010 at 4:09 am
‘That feeling’ is something I learned to honor when I was in the army, and it had nothing to do with war-type things. It had to do with making sure I was safe around men. One thing that comes to mind is living in the barracks as one of maybe three women. The rest were guys. I distinctly remember getting ready for bed at night taking inventory of everything, going to the bathroom and making sure I had everything in order so I would not have to leave the room at night when things got out of hand once the guys started wandering in from their night on the town. It only takes one bad seed and one moment in time to change your life forever.
There are other times ‘that feeling’ can lead to great things, too. I experienced a moment like this when deciding whether or not to enter a little contest. It was just a company thing, but I did it. I ended up wining a Jornada (a type of palm.
Always listen to ‘that feeling’.
May 21st, 2010 at 5:44 am
Hi Maxine,
I’ve had ‘that’ feeling s couple times & believe it kept me out of trouble.
One was leaving a store in the dusk of a summer evening, back in the days of hot pants I my having a thin body. I was halfway to my van when “That feeling” struck. I immediately pivoted and literally was face to face with a guy. I never hesitated, just stepped around him & hurried to the store. He stood for a while looking toward the store, then wandered over to my van and leaned against the car parked next to it & finally wandered off. I got the manager to walk me out. (I was 29)
I also had “that feeling” when my husband first asked me out. Decades later I’m still glad I listened.
Sandy
May 21st, 2010 at 7:27 am
Tammy,
Smart to be organized when living in such situations. Proud of you-not just for your smartness, but for serving. Thanks.
Sandy,
It only takes once to be a believer in ‘that feeling’. You had both good and bad experiences with it. You were lucky – both times!
May 21st, 2010 at 7:53 am
First of all, Tammy, I did not know you were in the Army. Thank you for serving!
Brenda,
That feeling has happened to me many times, but I can’t actually recall right now a specific instance. Since I have no sense of smell, my sixth sense is pretty sharp. But I think we all have those inner feelings. So it’s right to respect them.
The elevator incident is interesting. I would have done the same as you did, get in, and probably wouldn’t have stepped out. But I certainly am going to heed your warning in the future.
I really enjoyed your post.
Marilyn
P.S. I had to laugh about the toilet paper on the shoe.
May 21st, 2010 at 7:55 am
I had that feeling once. A guy kept crowding me in the checkout at a gift store where I’d gone with a friend to pick out bridesmaid gifts. I thought I was clear of someone with no social skills when I went back to work and later home. Guess who was at my door late afternoon, all the way across town? He’d been crowding me to get my address off the check I was writing. The story of how I talked him back out the door is too long to tell here. Let’s just say that I didn’t end up being the victim of a serial rapist that day
May 21st, 2010 at 8:04 am
Marilyn,
Yes, heed that warning. I hope you saw that Oprah show! The women on there said they had terrible things happen to them and almost all of them said they’d had a feeling they shouldn’t have stayed or they had felt the hair on the back of their neck stand up.
Debbie,
That is really scary! You’re not only a good writer, but a very good talker – so glad it turned out like it did!
May 21st, 2010 at 8:07 am
Nothing as dramatic, but I had one of those feelings the other day. Hubby got me an iphone for graduation, and I was fiddling with it on the way into the Cracker Barrel. This guy walks up trying to put himself between me and my family and asks to borrow my phone.
I had no reason other than that prickly sensation on the back of my neck, but I told him no. Then I immediately felt remorse, but my father said, “Well, I didn’t think I could catch him.”
That told me that he, too, thought the guy was up to no good.
May 21st, 2010 at 9:11 am
Good thing to point out Maxine (and yay for getting a story idea). We’re too quick to judge our inner voice some days and not trust it. I think we’ve desensitized (is that even a word?) ourselves to paying attention to natural instincts.
Debbie – yikes! Glad you’re able to tell a good story from that.
May 21st, 2010 at 9:21 am
I lol-ed at the 20s, 30s, etc. scenarios.
And scary about the elevator man. I’ve had some of those. We have a whole plain of intuitive intelligence most of us ignore. Good for you getting out of there.
Okay so now to the important stuff:
What does happen when she visits the grandmother?
That was a mean cliffhanger, Maxine
May 21st, 2010 at 9:29 am
I love the toilet paper thing, Maxine. I have actually done that and thank heavens for a nice lady who told me before I walked up on stage for an award in high school. You know how kids can be…grin…
I believe I’ve had that gut twisting sixth sense before. Most of the time I’ve listened to it and after reading some of the comments above, I’m glad the other times didn’t turn out as bad as they could have. I will definitely heed that more in the future.
Great story idea. I love it and hope you are working on it…
Tami
May 21st, 2010 at 10:17 am
Great post! Thanks for the reminder. I tend to worry about being rude/what the other person is going to think. What I need to remember is that sometimes it is appropriate to be rude; a well-intentioned person will understand! I can definitely relate to your 20′s, 30′;s, 40′s, 50′s illustration, and I love the premise of your work in progress. Can’t wait to read more!
May 21st, 2010 at 10:47 am
This reminds me of THAT scene in a scary movie, where the TSTL heroine’s eyes go wide after hearing a sound in the dark, yet she still calls out and heads toward it. And all the while, we know sometthing really bad is about to happen, even if we didn’t have the scary music to clue us in. That alone should be warning enough to us in the real life to heed those hair-raising feelings.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:52 am
Excellent post Maxine!
Listening to that niggling inner voice is a good thing. I’ve taught my thirteen year old daughter never to ignore that voice, the prickles on her arm or the hairs rising on her neck.
We are taught to be polite, say hi to the new neighbor or give uncle Vern a hug. I’ve seen some moms or dads insist their children say hello to a stranger they’ve been introduced to by their parents. And sometimes that child doesn’t want to say hi or hug the new acquaintance. Nothing wrong with that at all. It might not be polite, but their reticence may very well be a protective instinct switching on. They are feeling that odd sixth sense for a reason. And even if the stranger happens to be harmless we shouldn’t teach our children not to listen to the little voice in their head. It might keep them safe one day.
I found the comments in this post very interesting. I’m glad all the ladies listened to the warning voices in their head.
Thanks for the post and great story idea!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Tamara
May 21st, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Sally,
Good girl! And you still have the iphone! Thanks for the comment
Dianna,
I think you’re right, I believe fewer people are paying attention to their feelings. Hope it will change. (it IS a word)
May 21st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
JP
Those scenarios still give me wonderful memories! Glad you liked the cliffhanger. I’m working on it!
Tami,
You keep listening to what your ‘back-brain’ is trying to tell you! Wanna do some reading later?
May 21st, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Pam,
Thanks for stopping by. If people think you’re rude, at least you’re alive to apologize.
Carol,
I know. I still close my eyes when the heroine goes stupid. Keep listening to those feelings
May 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Tamara,
Not you’re a smart mom! I know what you mean. It bothers me when parents preach about strangers, then push kids to hug them – of course I guess they can always say ‘only when I’m here.’
May 21st, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Tamara,
I meant NOW!!!
I think I could have taken out the comment, but I was afraid 20 people would read it and come after me!
May 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Great post, Maxine. I’ve had that intuitive feeling about strangers before. The worst was when I worked as a teenager at a family restaurant as the cashier. It was late, a guy came in (realized later he was scoping the place out), loitered around the waiting room, then robbed me and one other girl at gunpoint. Not sure what I could have done differently, but I sure did feel creeped out when he walked into the place.
May 21st, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Oh wow, Maxine. I just love this post. What a creative mind you have!
Gosh those are some scary stories. Note to self: avoid elevators, and if someone crowds you in checkout line, knee him in the balls.
OMG, Darcy. How awful. I’m so glad the @#$% didn’t hurt you.
Let’s all go get some martial arts lessons!
May 21st, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Maxine,
I try to go with that feeling. On a cruise one of the officers tried to show me the engin room. I think he wanted to show me more! He didn’t even speak to me the next day. That feeling works.
May 22nd, 2010 at 7:32 am
Darcy,
That is so scary!! I’m so glad you weren’t physically hurt!
Linsey
Thank you so very much. I do believe in those feelings
Susan,
Thanks for commenting. You were/are very smart – glad you listened to that feeling.
May 22nd, 2010 at 10:29 am
Great post. As women we’re too nice and give people the benefit of the doubt at great risk to ourselves. There’s a book that every woman and every teen should read: Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker.